New NC poll shows voters strongly favor constitutional amendments on taxes, voting

With less than seven weeks to go until the midterm elections, a new Elon University poll has found that likely voters in both parties strongly favor three constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall in North Carolina.

Voters will be asked to consider amendments requiring photo IDs for all forms of voting, lowering the cap on the state’s personal income tax rate from 7% to 3.5%, and requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments.

“All the amendments on the ballot, we’re finding have much stronger for than against,” Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll, told NC Newsline’s Rob Schofield.

“This isn’t totally surprising. If we look back historically at constitutional amendments in North Carolina, Ballotpedia did a very clear count, and they found that 72% of amendments that had been on the ballot in the state have passed,” Husser said

The poll found that 72% of likely voters favor the amendment limiting property tax increases, while 14% oppose it. Another 14% were unsure.

The largely Republican-backed amendment grew out of complaints from homeowners, particularly seniors and others on fixed incomes, who say rapidly rising property taxes may force them out of their homes.

Republican lawmakers have accused some local governments of out-of-control spending and lack of transparency.

“Families are getting ripped off as some, but by no means all, local governments rake in billions more than inflation and population growth warrant,” House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said in May.

NC groups launch campaign to defeat two tax amendments on November ballot (opens in a new tab)

But critics of the amendment have warned that limiting property tax levies could have dire consequences for local governments, which could be forced to cut services. Local property taxes help pay for vital needs like public safety, education, and public health.

Democratic lawmakers argued local governments are being forced to raise their property tax rates because the state isn’t supplying enough funding.

“I think if we were really serious about fixing the property tax problem, we would begin here looking at ourselves and figuring out how we can support these communities in both their education, their law enforcement, all of those things, and stop creating unfunded mandates,” Rep. Eric Ager (D-Buncombe) said during a House debate on the amendment.